


Goodbye

by BalloonBalls



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff and Angst, KH3 spoilers, M/M, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-12 17:54:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18451637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BalloonBalls/pseuds/BalloonBalls
Summary: Riku finally gets his chance to tell Sora goodbye, but he's not sure if he's ready to do that.





	Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place at the end of Kingdom Hearts III

The scene was all too familiar, that bright, blue, cloudless sky was painted over the small paradise known as the Destiny Islands. He wasn't really sure when or how he arrived here, the last memory that he had was falling asleep the night before. Still, something didn't seem right about this place, it didn't feel like a cozy blanket of warmth and nostalgia like it usually did, and that worried him. Though, he realized something was truly off when he noticed a familiar figure sitting on the misshapen paopu tree, back to the sand and eyes to the rolling tides.

"Sora?" Riku blurted, the question forcing its way out of Riku's lips, fading away into the salty air.

'Sora' did not react to Riku's question, keeping his attention glued to the blanket of blue. The sight captured Riku for a moment, he never realized how beautiful a silhouette could be until the only way he could see it was through memories. Still, beauty couldn't hold him for too long as he made a swift dash to the usual spot. His heart was beating what felt like a mile a minute, but he knew it wasn't due to physical exhaustion. Riku kept his gaze on the approaching silhouette, for fear that if he were to look away for one moment it would disappear forever. Even if this 'Sora' wasn't real, he still just needed to see him, see his face, remember those bright blue eyes of his. Just one more time.

Now, he found himself frozen, shaking, staring at the back of this 'Sora' that acted like no one was really there. This lack of awareness scared Riku a little, he didn't want this to just be an illusion that will just disappear, just like the real Sora. 

"Sora," Riku choked out, his voice a shallow whisper. His breath sat lazily inside his throat, refusing to fuel his lungs. Then, there was movement. 'Sora' turned his head slowly, eventually meeting the eyes of the frightened man in front of him. He smiled, he smiled that oh so bright and casual smile that made the other's stomach turn just a little. How could Riku have ever survived this long without seeing it? He could feel his throat swelling, closing in on itself, almost as if he was allergic to the ache he was feeling inside his chest.

"Riku," Sora gleamed, his tone casual and free, just like it always was. Riku's lower lip started to tremble under the weight of this feeling, this feeling of pure confusion and relief and- and happiness. How long had it really been since he had felt something other than the constant stab of loss penetrating his fragile heart and cutting it up into little pieces? He wanted to cry, but he wasn't sure why, he had cried for so many hours since Sora's...disappearance, but here he was, ecstatic to be on the verge of breaking down all over again, it was almost laughable to him. 

And he did break down.

The tears rolled down his cheeks like an angry river preparing for the drop of a waterfall. He didn't bother to hide them, there was no point. Sora gazed at him with eyes that screamed confusion, sitting completely still. Riku wanted to say something to him, anything to him, he looked so scared....but his throat felt like it was the home to an uncharacteristically large walnut. Though, he was never really good with words to begin with, so maybe this lack of speech was for the best.

Instead, Riku found his hands hovering over to Sora's, taking them in his. These were Sora's hands, he could hardly believe it! There's warmth in these hands, sweat, veins running all the way to the tip of his fingers. They felt just like Riku remembered, soft and sweaty but covered in light pink scars. These were Sora's hands, and Riku couldn't be anymore grateful for that. 

Sora glanced down at their entwined hands, then moved his gaze to meet Riku's. "Riku?" Sora questioned, his eyes shifting from confusion to worry. 

"You're here..." Riku squeaked, squeezing the other's hand just a little, "...you're here".

"Hey, c'mon, don't cry!" Sora panicked, sliding off the misshapen tree and onto his feet, but the other wasn't listening. Riku couldn't stop the flow of tears rolling down his red and swollen cheeks. He couldn't control himself, his heart was exposing itself in the worst way possible. Nothing made sense to him anymore but he didn't  _care_ , Sora was here and that was enough. Sora was enough. 

"No frowning, you can only smile here! Looks like I'm just gonna have to make you smile!" threatened Sora, pulling his hands out of Riku's grasp and flashing him that beautifully bright smile of his. 

And Riku's heart dropped. 

If he didn't touch him, if he didn't feel the skin of the living Sora, if he couldn't constantly confirm that he was alive then he would surely disappear again the moment he wasn't looking. He had to stay by him forever now, he needed to make sure that the other would never slip away again, would never just be a figment of his imagination ever again. If he were to disappear again and never come back, there would really be no way Riku could make it this time. 

Riku snatched his hands again, holding them tighter than before. Sora's glowing smile quickly morphed into a look of confusion once again, his brows furrowed and lips curled into a frown. He couldn't bring himself to explain himself, his emotions, hell he barely even understood them himself. The other was clearly looking for some sort of clarification as to why he was acting so strangely, but...he didn't want to talk about it, about anything, he just wanted to touch the other. No, he just wanted to soak up the other's presence like it was rays of sunshine from the sky. 

Sora seemed to quickly catch on to how the other was feeling as he finally squeezed Riku's hands back. He was always good at reading him and his emotions, it was almost kind of scary, he couldn't hide anything from him. "I'm sorry I had to leave," Sora mumbled, his eyes shifting to the sand under his feet, "but everything Young Xehanort said to me, it all makes sense now. I abused the power of waking and now...now I don't know where I am. I'm home, but...clearly I'm not really here, am I?" 

Riku was never a man of many words, but right now he found himself completely tongue-tied and dumbfounded. Seeing Sora so sad, so sincere, it was unlike the person he knew before. It hurt, looking at him mulling over his mistakes, he wanted nothing more than to take him into his arms and protect him from his own mind. But that's not possible now, is it? Still, he needed to do something to soothe this aching heart that the other harbored. 

Taking in a slow breath, Riku rubbed small circles on the back of the other's hand. It was funny, the thing he might have missed most was being in close proximity with Sora. Yes, he loved talking with him for hours until the sun would set or rise, recounting both of their long journeys and rebuilding the bond they had once before. However, Sora just being  _around_ was what his heart truly longed for. The ability to quietly gaze at him until they made awkward eye contact, being able to know that whenever he wanted he could just pull Sora close and- 

"Riku?" Sora questioned, squeezing the other's hands gently. 

He wanted to comfort Sora, but he wasn't really sure how. Riku felt so selfish, so helpless, so...incompetent. He wanted to tell him that everything was going to be okay, that no matter what he was going to stay by his side forever and they would spend eternity together in peace. But that wasn't reality, all those dreams and fantasies that he used as a coping mechanism during his time in darkness were just what they were, dreams and fantasies. It hurt, it all just hurt so badly. If anything, it was almost laughably cruel.

"Is this going to be the last time I'll ever get to see you?" Riku blurted, his eyes darting down to their entangled fingers. He was being selfish, he knew that very well. After all, he was supposed to be comforting Sora but in the end it's him needing to be comforted. It always turns out to be this way though, doesn't it? Still, the thought of this being the end, the final goodbye that he didn't get to have, it tore him apart, but he knew that he would have to find out eventually.

"...I don't know, but, I think our hearts might have called for each other," Sora stated, sliding one hand away from Riku's and placing it against his own chest, "I was just drifting through nothingness, waiting for the day where I wouldn't be conscious anymore, if that day would even come. There was no sense of time, every second felt like an eternity, and I couldn't stop thinking about how alone I felt. There was so much I wanted to do, with you, and with Kairi too! But I just...I never got to say goodbye to you, and...that hurt.

"At some point I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, I was here. I didn't really know what to do, no one was here, so I've been sitting on this tree this whole time. It hasn't been that long, y'know, but...something inside me told me that this isn't real, and I wondered if waiting here was even a good idea. But now you're here, I can't believe you're really here..." 

Silence fell between the two, only for a moment before Sora continued, "So like I said, I'm not too sure if this is meant to be our final goodbye, but I think anything can happen as long as our hearts wish for it enough. After all, I got to see you, right?" 

That optimism that he had always cheered Riku up somehow. It was the ignorant, blissful joy Sora radiated that always gave him the strength that he needed or pulled him out of hard times, and he adored that light of his. Even in the darkest of times, he always found a way to motivate everyone around him and give them the strength that they need in order to overcome any hurtles in their lives. No one could ever replicate the light that he had inside of him, and that's why Riku wanted nothing more than to protect that light forever.

He was right though, they are getting to see each other again, and even if it is meant to be the final goodbye it may not have to be since their hearts are connected, yearning for their other half. Thinking about it like that, it was kind of comforting to him. Maybe he didn't have to say goodbye for real, or maybe it was just wishful thinking. Either way, it was enough for him at least. 

"You're right, our hearts are connected. I'm not sure when we'll get to see each other again, but one day we will," Riku claimed, his voice warm like a blanket fresh out the dryer, and a small smile curled around his lips. The thought of being eternally connected to Sora seemed strange, but it was oh so comforting to him. Being able to stand by the other's side is something that he's always wanted more than anything, but fate kept ripping them apart. Knowing that fate is now trying to bring them together is...invigorating! He'll get to see Sora again no matter what, and that's enough to make sure he keeps fighting. 

Sora's smile started to fade as he turned his attention away from him and moving it to the now dark, deep red sky. 

"Wow, the sun's setting already? How fast is time moving here?" Sora inquired, moving his gaze back to Riku's. 

"Too fast, we haven't been here long,"

"That's...weird. Riku...what's going to happen when the sun sets?" 

"I don't know, but we don't have that much time left to wait," 

"Do you think when the sun sets...this will all be over?" 

"I-"

Before he could even begin to answer, Sora suddenly found himself entangled in him completely, arms wrapped around the other's torso and bodies pressed up against the other's. Riku was dumbfounded, his cheeks turning to a shade of red that mirrored the sky above them that could be the cruel ticking timer on their reunion. Neither of them were ever the type to like excessive physical intimacy, but this was a welcomed touch that set his heart ablaze with passion and emotion. Sora was still just as physically warm as he remembered, his hair still stabbed him under his chin when he got to close, he still squeezed just a little too tight when he hugged, it was really still the same Sora that he had been craving all along. 

Riku really didn't want this to end. 

"Sora-?" 

"I'll see you again, right, Riku?" Sora pleaded, his voice similar to that of a whining dog. The two of them didn't dare to meet eyes with the other, both far too embarrassed. But if this was the last time they'd see each other for a long while then damn it they were gonna make it the best time they've ever had. Shyness, worry, fear, none of that mattered anymore, if they didn't get their feelings and cravings out then they might suffer forever. Riku, at least, was going to do and say everything he has ever wanted to, there was nothing to lose at this point. 

There was no turning back.  

Riku raised his arms slowly, shakily, wrapping them around the other's lower back. He had never hugged Sora before, not since they were younger, but he never realized how blissfully sweet this feeling truly is. It angered him somewhat, all of his excessive worrying and guilt stopped him from doing something that was so easy yet so rewarding. He was like a warm blanket that had been in the sun all day, cozy and soft. This may be the best thing that has ever happened to Riku, but at the very least it surely has made him the happiest he's ever been.

Though, Sora didn't react in the way he expected, in fact, it was the complete opposite. Instead of getting uncomfortable and pushing the other away, Sora snuggled his head into his chest, using it as some sort of hard pillow to rest his head on. He could feel his own heart pounding like the beat of an angry drum, the tune loud enough to be heard by the one person who was making it so loud. It was embarrassing, sure, but he didn't care; this feeling inside of him was the warmest, coziest feeling that ever made it's nest inside of his heart. It was funny, he couldn't even stop smiling even though he knew he would have to say goodbye. 

No, not goodbye. Instead, 

"I love you,"

Riku wasn't really sure why those words came out his mouth, or how. Those three little words were so vague yet so emotionally powerful, it was almost frightening. He had told his family that he loved them, but never people outside of that little circle, maybe he just never loved anyone else besides them. But here he was, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes as his throat started to close in. Maybe the little phrase was meant to be his parting gift to the other, but all he could do now is hope that he accepts it. Sora's silence felt like it lasted for an eternity, even if they were on a time limit that was counting down rather quickly. 

"I...I love you too,"

The sky's deep red had now faded to a dark, ominous blue. There were no stars, no clouds, just a cold blanket of nothingness looking down on them like an unfeeling god. 

And then, there was no one there. 

\--

Riku's eyes snapped open, being greeted by the dark night that engulfed his room. Sweat dripped down his forehead, working as some form of glue to keep his bangs stuck to his forehead. The blankets served as some form of restraints at this point, completely tangled around his entire body. 

Was he asleep this whole time? Had it...all just been some sort of dream?

No, he must have been inside the Sleeping Realm, all of it felt too...real to just be a normal dream. He's had hundreds of dreams about reuniting with Sora, but none of them felt as real as that. Still, if he did go to the Sleeping Realm and meet Sora, then that must mean...

Riku could hardly contain his excitement as he unwrapped himself from his fuzzy blanket, swinging his legs from out the bed and onto the floor. He had been itching for another adventure anyway, so why not go save the one person who matters?


End file.
